Workers launch "solidarity protest" at Keppel

CEBU, Philippines - Various workers from different companies who are affiliated with militant peasant group Anakpawis will stage a protest today in solidarity with the workers of Keppel Cebu Shipyard Inc.

The workers, whose job security are now being threatened, dubbed the activity as “Workers Protest” that will be held at the main gate of Keppel in barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City.

Keppel workers’ union, the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Baradero (Keppel-Shipyard)- National Federation of Labor already has filed a notice of strike before the National Labor Relations Commission last March 16. They accused the management of union busting, an accusation that was already strongly denied by the latter.

The management has explained that the shifting of its ship repair operations to ship building operations is purely a business decision. In the process, more than 250 workers will lose their jobs on the ground of work redundancy.

Unionized workers of SPC Power Corporation will also stage a different kind of protest by holding a forum today to expose the alleged maneuvers of the management for not granting their long-time equal work, equal pay demand.

The SPC management is urging the union members to reconsider their hard-line position and return to sober dialogue, which constitute the best interest of the power consuming public in Cebu and the rest of the Visayas. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)